Home » Greco-Roman Period » Political and Social Structures » Political and Social Structures in Hellenistic Judea (332-63 BCE)
From Text to Tradition
- Under Ptolemies and Seleucids
- The Jerusalem Temple and the Priesthood
- The Gerousia
- Historical Surveys
- Lee I. Levine. “The Age of Hellenism- Alexander the Great and the Rise and Fall of the Hasmonean Kingdom.”
- Primary sources
- Josephus, Antiquities XII, 1-9- Alexander’s Successors
- Josephus, Antiquities, XII, 129-46- Antiochus III conquers Jerusalem
- Zenon Papyri- Jews in Hellenistic Egypt
- Vienna Papyrus- Jewish Military Settlers in Ptolemaic Palestine
- Josephus, Against Apion I, 195-99- Hecateus of Abdera on Jerusalem
- Ben Sira 50- The Glory of the High Priest
- Josephus, Antiquities, XII, 138-144 – King Antiochus’ Favorable Attitudes to the Jews
- 1 Maccabees 12- 5-11 – Letter to the Spartans
- 1 Maccabees 14- 20-23 Letter from the Spartans
- Secondary Sources
- Background to Hanukkah: Inscription Reveals Roots of Maccabean Revolt, Hershel Shanks, Biblical Archaeology Review (34:6) Nov/Dec 2008.
- Images
- Arsinoe II, the wife of Ptolemy II Philadelphus portrayed on a silver coin minted during her husband’s reign 285-246 BCE, (front).
- Coin minted during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus portraying a cornucopia, 285-246 BCE (reverse).
- Seleucus II Kallinikos, the king of Syria portrayed on a silver coin 246-226 BCE, with the god Apollo on reverse side